Molly's Lehigh - Picture Heavy

[jdkerstetter]

Several of you have been asking so here it is. I hope it lives up to your expectations. Inspiration was a little John Rupp and a little John Moll.

Please excuse the fact that some of the pictures are a little fuzzy....I should have set up the tripod....couldn't tell 'til they were downloaded.

All comments and critiques welcome. Enjoy, J.D.

 

[matt denison]

Very nice.

I don't know much about Lehighs but I know what I like.

:hatsoff:

 

[BrownBear]

Interesting going oct/round on a rifled bore. I really like it, and think it compliments the overall results. Dandy!

 

[Va.Manuf.06]

NICE wok, JD. :bow:

 

[blackdog of vt]

The finish really looks nice.

 

[hoochiepapa]

What a pretty rifle!! Some day I'll get up the courage to try one.
How's it shoot?

 

[Blackbruin]

I would love to see how it would fit, but the lock is backwards. Nice!

 

[Dave Marsh]

Well done. That is a beautiful rifle. I really like the ramrod too. Have you shot her?

Dave

 

[Vaino]

An excellent Lehigh....has all the attributes and the result is a very slim LR. Also it looks lke it will be comfortable to shoot. The RR hole must be close to the bbl inlet w/ a very thin web...necessary for a correct Lehigh "look". Is a front lock bolt used....sometimes it's difficult to "squeeze" it in? The muzzle cap is correct and well done. Took a little bit of research to make this Lehigh and you did it well and your execution is masterful.....Fred

 

[dbutch]

Slim and trim..very nice..patch box cover is my favorite.
Molly is very lucky!
What number build is this for you?

 

[wattlebuster]

She's purty :thumbsup:

 

[LRB]

Really super nice JD. Excellent!

 

[bpd303]

Outstanding... :bow:

 

[smo]

Bye Golly Molly is a lucky Lady! Excellent work :thumbsup: that is one fine looking rifle. :hatsoff:

What are the specs on the rifle?

 

[pargent]

That is so sweet it should rot your teeth when you use it :thumbsup:

 

[necchi]

JD, :bow:
Thank you for sharing.

Hey kaintuck; That's what thin is.

 

[jdkerstetter]

Thanks everyone! Molly is one of my 12 year old twin daughters, my hunting partner and is following this thread. I can't take all of the credit for this build as I am lucky to have a great mentor close by. Fred is right on though, in that the research was exhaustive.

The lock is a Deluxe large Siler from Chambers, of course. The 38" .45 caliber O/R barrel was made with special consideration for Molly by Colerain. O/R barrels are not unheard of on Lehighs and it cut the forward weight down a lot so she could handle it and still keep it long, as it should be.

The buttplate and trigger guard are Reaves Goehring castings. The Lehigh rear sight is from Allen Martin. Other than some screws, everything else is hand made.

The stock started as a "second" from my neighbor, Fred Miller, on his small Lehigh pattern without the patchbox done. I say started as most of that is in the shop vac after scaling it down quite a bit.

Stock was stained with Ferric Nitrate in alcohol, blushed with a heat gun and then neutralized with amonia. Finish is modified tung oil with red added...several coats...then the stock was well waxed with Mylands inside and out. The hickory ramrod received the FN treatment but with uncolored oil finish.

Barrel and other steel was browned severly, rubbed back and then blued and rubbed back again for patina. I was going for the 200 year old, well cared for look.

Length of pull is 13 1/4". Ramrod and pipes are tapered...and, yes Fred, the rod is about a 1/4" on the inside end and I still had to notch the forward lock nail to make it fit. The breech end of the barrel was 7/8" and the stock is 1 1/2" tall at that point.

Thumb piece and star are sterling and engraved by my mentor, on the gun.

This was my first fully carved gun and my background could be better....practice! I had a little trouble with that angry Smurf in front of the guard as the wood there had crazy, chippy grain as can be seen in the pictures.

One more picture:


To be correct the front site should have been a dovetailed barley corn, but my "customer" wanted a heart shaped one. The customer is always right and soldering this on was certainly easier than dovetailing this thin, round barrel. :wink:

Again, thanks all! Enjoy, J.D.

 

[AWsaddles]

Slim and trim. Excellent , thanks for sharing. :thumbsup:

 

[alex efremenko]

Very nicely done! :applause:

 

[M. De Land]

Nice job all around JD! Thanks for all the pictures and captions. I really like to look em over and all the pictures really do a good job. Mike D.